Sprint to sell Galaxy Nexus on April 22 for $200

Includes $50 in Google Wallet funds

Sprint announced in January that they'd soon begin selling Samsung's popular Galaxy Nexus, but it wasn't until today that they announced a date and price tag.

Sprint users can pick up the smartphone on April 22 for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

The phone will come with Google Wallet pre-loaded, and in addition to the $10 that comes in new Google Wallet accounts, Sprint customers will receive $40 more in funds for use at any MasterCard PayPass location.

The galaxy's quest

Apple recently filed a patent claim against the Galaxy Nexus, the flagship phone for Google's latest Android OS, Ice Cream Sandwich. But that hasn't quelled the phone's popularity, nor will it stop Sprint from rolling out its version.

The 4G LTE blues

Sprint's Galaxy Nexus will roll out as part of the carrier's in-progress 4G LTE network, along with the LG Viper and HTC Evo 4G LTE. Like the Nexus, the Viper also drops on April 22, and the Evo 4G comes out May 7.

Sprint's LTE network, on the other hand, is practically nonexistent at this point, making its functionality on these phones more a promise than a feature.

Also debuting on April 22 is Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, a small tablet that will share the Nexus's Ice Cream Sandwich OS but whose processor, ironically, will be slightly less powerful than the Nexus's 1.5GHz.

Gimme your (Google) wallet

Sprint's inclusion of Google Wallet may be a big draw for consumers looking for a new way to pay without having to carry an actual wallet. Although AT&T allows the app to be installed on their Android phones, Verizon blocked it on their service.

What's more, Sprint's Nexus includes Google Wallet right off the bat with an additional $40 - giving new customers a total of $50 in funds.

Now if only they could find a way to turn a phone into car keys as well.